Now resurrection know! shall man alone,
Imperial man! be sown in barren ground,
Less privileg'd than grain on which he feeds?
Is man, in whom alone is power to prize
The bliss of being, or with previous pain
Deplore its period, by the spleen of fate,
Severely doom'd, death's single unredeem'd?

EDWARD YOUNG, 1681-1755

Hour. In the frolic view of men. Silvan. Lov'st thou music?

Hour. Oh, 'tis sweet!

Silvan. What's dancing.

Hour. E'en the mirth of feet.

Silvan. Joy you in fairies, or in elves
Hour. We are of that sort ourselves.

But, Silvan, say, why do you love
Only to frequent the grove?
Silvan. Life is fullest of content

When delight is innocent.

Hour. Pleasure must vary, not be long;

Come, then, let's close, and end the song.

DR. THOMAS CAMPION 1607.

TO CYNTHIA.

Queen and huntress, chaste and fair,
Now the sun is laid to sleep;
Seated in thy silver chair,

State in wonted manner keep:

Hesperus entreats thy light,
Goddess excellently bright!

Earth, let not thy envious shade
Dare itself to interpose;
Cynthia's shining orb was made

Heaven to clear when day did close;
Bless us, then with wished sight,
Goddess excellently bright!

Lay thy bow of pearl apart,

And thy crystal-shining quiver;

Give unto the flying hart

Space to breathe, how short soever;
Thou that mak'st a day of night,

Goddess excellently bright!

BEN JONSON 1574-1637.

TO NIGHT.

Mysterious Night! when our first parent knew
Thee from report divine, and heard thy name,

Did he not tremble for this lovely frame,

This glorious canopy of light and blue ?

Yet 'neath the curtain of translucent dew,

Bathed in the rays of the great setting flame,
Hesperus with the host of Heaven came,

And lo! creation widened in man's view.

Who could have thought such darkness lay concealed
Within thy beams, O Sun! or who could find,

While fly, and leaf, and insect lay revealed,
That to such countless orbs thou mad'st us blind!
Why do we, then, shun Death with anxious strife?
If Light can thus deceive, wherefore not Life?

But if we steadfast look,

We shall discern

In it, as in some holy book,

How man may heavenly knowledge learn.

It tells the conqueror

That far-stretch'd power,

Which his proud dangers traffic for,

Is but the triumph of an hour.